United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Aguaji, Bonaci arara, Grouper
Occurrence: native
Salinity: brackish
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Also Ref. 276, 26280, 115025.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: https://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) > Epinephelinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Badèche de roche, Cuna de piedra, Princess rockfish, ... more

Main reference

Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall. 1993. (Ref. 5222)
References | Biblio | Coordinator : Heemstra, Phillip C. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 18.5 kg (Ref. 40637)

Length at first maturity
L_m 51.0, range 50 - 63 cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 137 m (Ref. 5222), usually 5 - 35 m (Ref. 40849)

Climate / Range

Subtropical, preferred 27°C (Ref. 107945); 35°N - 28°S, 92°W - 33°W (Ref. 5222)

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean south to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Distinguished by the following characteristics: Head and body have oval groups of dark spots; outer third of pectoral fin bright yellow (Ref. 26938); two color morphs: a deep-water reddish form and shallow-water greenish form; depth of body contained 2.9-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.6-2.9 times in SL; convex interorbital area; evenly rounded preopercle or with slight notch, without projecting bony lobe at the angle; nostrils subequal or posterior nostrils with diameter twice the size of anterior nostrils (Ref. 89707).

Adults found on rocky and coral reefs, juveniles occur in shallow turtle grass beds. Also been taken in trawls over mud bottom in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Feeds mainly on fishes (mostly on coral reef species) and squids. Although often implicated in ciguatera poisonings, it is a desirable food fish; and even large (5 to 10 kg) fish from areas considered safe are sold in markets. Also caught with surface trolling. Sex-reversal has been observed (Ref. 5521).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Near Threatened (NT) , IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 4690)

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
Stocks
Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
Strains
Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
Stamps, Coins
Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
Swim. type
Gill area
Otoliths
Brains
Vision

Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Download XML

Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
4.5 ±0.5 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.17; tmax=15; Fec=400,000)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
High vulnerability (62 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Very high

Mycteroperca venenosa (Linnaeus, 1758)